Veteran Hindi cinema actor Nana Patekar is no more with us. He died of cardiac arrest on 8 October 2026 at the age of 75. According to reports, he was found unconscious in his house in Dona Paula, Goa. After this he was immediately taken to Manipal Hospital.
Doctors tried to save him by giving CPR for about 45 minutes, but his life could not be saved. He was declared dead at 5:20 am. A medico-legal case has been registered in this matter and post-mortem will be conducted.
According to Dr. Shekhar Salkar, head of the oncology department of Manipal Hospital, Nana Patekar was brought to the hospital around 4:20-4:30 in the morning, but by then he had died. Nana had messaged his friend at around 2:30 in the night and said that he was feeling unwell, after which the friend reached his house at around 4 o’clock. At that time Nana was sweating a lot and he was gradually fainting. The emergency team of the hospital tried to save him for about 45 minutes to an hour and gave cardiac massage, but he could not be saved. Being a medico-legal case, police were informed and the body was sent to Goa Medical College for post-mortem.
Who was Nana Patekar?
Nana Patekar’s real name was Vishwanath Patekar. He was born on 1 January 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra. His interest in acting increased since childhood. His father also liked plays and this environment attracted Nana towards theatre. After this, theater became the first big place for him to learn acting.
With which film did you debut?
He entered Hindi films with the 1978 film ‘Gaman’. In the initial phase, he did many small roles, but gradually his distinct identity started forming. Films like ‘Ankush’, ‘Prahar’, ‘Parinda’, ‘Angaar’, ‘Tiranga’ and ‘Krantiveer’ brought him into the ranks of big artists. His acting in ‘Parinda’ and ‘Krantiveer’ was especially appreciated.
Showed his strength from villain to comedy
Nana did not limit himself to just serious characters. He played different types of characters in films like ‘Agnisakshi’, ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’, ‘Shakti: The Power’, ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’, ‘Apaharan’, ‘Raajneeti’ and ‘Taxi Number 9211’. He made the audience laugh a lot by playing Uday Shetty in ‘Welcome’. Later, this style of his was also seen in ‘Welcome Back’. His acting in the Marathi film ‘Natsamrat’ was also highly praised.
Which awards did you receive?
Nana Patekar received three National Film Awards and many Filmfare honors. He has also been awarded Padmashree in 2013. His identity was not only that of an actor, but he also ventured into film direction. He gained experience in direction from ‘Prahar: The Final Attack’.
What was the connection with the army?
Along with acting, Nana also had a deep connection with the Indian Army. He had joined the Territorial Army as a Captain. During the 1999 Kargil war, he served as a Major with the Maratha Light Infantry. Later he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Nana Patekar’s personal life
Nana Patekar married Neelkanti in 1978. Both of them lived together for a long time, but started living separately in later years. Nana’s elder son Durvasa died at the age of just two and a half years. He spoke openly about this pain in an interview. His relationship with Manisha Koirala was also much discussed. There were also reports for a long time about his alleged relationship with Ayesha Julka, although Ayesha later rejected such romantic discussions.